Carpet-stretcher



(No Model.)

A. MOPARLAND.

CARPET STRETOHER.

No. 873,595. Patented Nov. 22, 1887.

WITNESSES INVENTOR W BY ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS, Phnlo-Lilhagmphor. Washington. 0. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

ANDREYV MOFABLAND, OF THOMASTON, MAINE.

CARPET-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,595, dated November22, 1887.

Application filed July :29, 1887. Serial No. 245,626.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW IVICFARLAND, of Thomaston, in the county ofKnox and State of Maine, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Oarpet-Stretchers, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my improvement is to provide a carpet-stretcher wherebygreater power, etficiency, and convenience in use are obtainable than isordinarily possible.

I will first describe in detail a carpetstretcher embodying myimprovement, and then point out the various features of the improvementin claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference designatecorresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carpetstretcher embodying myimprovement when in use. Fig. 2 is a section of the joint connecting thebrace and handle lever of the said stretcher.

A handle-bar, A, having a claw, B, on its lower end, as in a common formof carpetstretcher, is pivotally connected, as a lever, to the end, hereshown forked, of a brace, C, the other end of which has adownward-curved spur, D. A segmental guide-bar, E, rigidly attached tothe lever A, rides in a slot, F, in

the brace 0, thus stiffening the handle-lever A and adapting it to swingin the plane of the brace.

I prefer to apply the brace and guide-bar to the handlebars of commonstretchers, as here shown, by forming the segmental guide-bar E at theupper end with an apertured lug, G, which is pinned in a recess in thehandle-bar A, and at the lower end with a nearly radial stay-bar, H,having a lug, I, also pinned in a recess in the bar A, and another lug,J, eXtending to the center of the segmental guide-bar E to receive thepivot K of the brace O. A clamp, L, on the brace O, is employed to lockthe guide-bar E in the slot F in the brace for holding the handle-leverin any desired posit-ion with respect to the brace.

The clamp L has a slotted eye, M, which is received loosely on theguide-bar at the under side of the brace O, a shank, N, projecting fromthe eye M along the under side of the (No model.)

brace, a guide-rib, O, on the shank fitted to slide crosswise in alongitudinal prolongation of the slot Fin the brace, and ashoe, 1,formed on the inner end of the rib O, and adapted to bear upon the outeredge of the guide-bar E at a point just above the brace.

A stiff spring, P, attached to the underside of the brace G, bears upona lug projecting from the inner end of the clamp, and tends to hold theshoe P off the guide-bar O and the shank N slightly away from the brace,so that normally the guidebar E is allowed free play in the brace O.

A slip-ring, R, surrounds the brace and the shank N of the clamp, sothat when slid outward it draws the shank N against the brace, therebypressing the shoe P tightly against the guide-bar E, the clamp swingingon its eye-connection with the brace. In like manner the clamp isloosened by sliding the slipring R inward on the brace and shank N.

In use the spur D on the brace C isinserted in the floor at that edge ofthe carpet which has been tacked down, as shown, and the handle-leverswung, as indicated by the arrow, so as to, through its claw B, stretchthat portion of the carpet between the spur Dand claw B. WVhere thewidth of the carpet is, as will ordinarily be the case, too great to bespanned by the handle-lever and brace the operation may be repeated, thecarpet being prevented from contracting after each stroke by standing onit near the claw, and the spur D inserted each time at the point wherethe claw had previously been. In lieu of this repetition a board may beextended from the surbase at which the carpet is tacked down to withinspanning distance of the opposite wall, and the extreme end of the boardused for reception of the spur; or the brace may be made in anywell-known manner, extensible-and adjustable lengthwise, the whole widthof the carpet being thereby in either case capable of being stretched ata single stroke.

After stretching, the stretcher may be left standing to hold the carpettemporarily in place, the clamp being used to lock the handle-lever inposition, as described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

IOO

1. The combination-of alever, A, a brace or bar, 0, having alongitudinal slot, 13, a guidebar, E, mounted to ride in the slot F, aspringactuated clamp, L, having ashank, N, an eye, M, embracing theguidebar, and a shoe, P, adapted to bear upon the guide-bar, andaslipring, R, surrounding the brace and the shank N, substantially asdescribed.

2. A segmental guide-bar, E, having apertured lugs G I, and a stay-bar,H, to adapt it for attachment to the handle-bar of a carpetstretcher,and a lug, J, to receive the pivot of a brace at the center of thesegment on which scribed.

the guide-bar E is formed, substantially as de- 3. The combination of alever, A, a slotted brace, O, a guide-bar, E, fixed to the lever A, aswing-clamp, L, having a shoe, 1?, adapted to bear upon the guide-bar E,and a slip-ring, R, surrounding the swing-clamp L and brace C,substantially as shown and described.

ANDREW MOFARLAND.

'Witnesses:

J. G. LEVENSALER, G. S. SMITH.

